Started in May 2020, Prevent Plastics is a four-year project funded by the European Union with the aim to promote sustainable production and consumption patterns in Myanmar through raised awareness and best practices on waste management. The project is a joint approach of sequa gGmbH, Myanmar Banks Association, STENUM Asia & Thant Myanmar. It is based on the experiences gained during the SWITCH-Asia funded projects SMART Myanmar 1 and 2 (2013-2019), which concentrated on the Myanmar garment industry. Prevent Plastics relies on these project outcomes and focuses on waste management in industrial zones, plastics reduction and its avoidance.

Prevent Plastics cooperates with factories, local SMEs and communities based projects in Yangon and around Myanmar. The purpose of the project is to introduce sustainable waste management practices for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and support all relevant stakeholders with tailored action plans, capacity building measures, and Public-Private Dialogue.

The project raises awareness among consumers on plastic avoidance in cooperation with Myanmar retailers. It supports eco-friendly packaging and carrier bag alternatives to make them more widely available and promotes green finance possibilities.